Kochi, Sep 21: The Kerala police in Thrissur and Kannur have arrested 10 members of an Uttar Pradesh-based gang accused of travelling to Kerala to steal copper wires and valuables from locked houses and offices, uncovering an unusual modus operandi in the process, officials said on Monday.

The gang members, all natives of Meerut in Uttar Pradesh, used to fly to Kerala while sending their two-wheelers ahead by train, police said.

The modus operandi came to light during the interrogation of Rehan, one of the gang members taken into custody by the Thrissur police.

According to police, Rehan told investigators that the gang would send their motorcycles from their hometown to railway stations in Kochi before boarding flights to Kerala. After landing, the members would collect their two-wheelers and split into smaller groups to scout for targets.

Locked houses and offices containing large quantities of copper wire were among their preferred targets, police said. Telephone exchanges and similar establishments were particularly attractive because of the quantity of copper wiring.

After identifying a target, the gang would allegedly break in, steal copper wires and other valuables and sell the material before moving on to another location.

Acting on the information provided by Rehan, police arrested four members of the gang from Kochi. Another five were arrested from Kannur while they were allegedly engaged in their activities.

With Rehan, the number of arrested gang members has risen to 10. Police said the gang had been operating in other states using a similar method.

Investigators are now checking their possible involvement in theft cases reported elsewhere, besides examining the extent of their activities in Kerala.

The investigation has also revealed the extent to which the gang had planned its movements.

By sending their motorcycles to Kerala by train before flying down, they were able to have their own vehicles ready for use immediately after landing.

The police are now questioning the arrested persons to establish the full network, identify the places targeted by the gang and trace the stolen copper and other material.

Chandigarh, Sep 20: In a major breakthrough, Punjab Police on Sunday said it had busted a cross-border heroin smuggling network by apprehending four operatives and recovering 47.3 kg of heroin, three pistols, three magazines, 15 cartridges, and two vehicles.

Preliminary investigation revealed that the accused are linked to a network involved in cross-border smuggling of heroin and illegal arms into Punjab, Director General of Police Gaurav Yadav wrote on X.

He said the first investigation report (FIR) was registered in Faridkot.

Further investigation is underway to uncover the wider network and establish its linkages.

A day earlier, Counter Intelligence (CI) Amritsar busted another cross-border narcotics smuggling module with the arrest of three key operatives and recovered 17 kg of heroin from their possession. Police had identified the arrested as Prince, Malkit Singh, and Rajinder Singh, all residents of Kot Mit Singh in Amritsar.

Apart from the heroin, police teams also impounded a car used for transporting the contraband.

With this seizure on Saturday, CI Amritsar has pushed the total recovery of heroin to 54 kg in four days, having previously recovered consignments of 27 kg and 10 kg.

DGP Yadav said CI Amritsar teams had received specific input that three operatives of the smuggling module had received a drone-dropped consignment and were expected to strike a major drug deal beneath the flyover on the Amritsar-Tarn Taran road. Acting promptly, police established a checkpoint and intercepted their car near the park by the flyover. During the search, 17 kg of heroin was recovered.

On September 16, four persons were held with 27 kg of heroin and a foreign-made .30 bore PX5 pistol with three cartridges. On September 18, one person was held with 10 kg of heroin.

New Delhi, Sep 20: The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Sunday lashed out at the Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi, suggesting him to double up as a “stand-up comedian” at his ‘Chhatron Ki Goonj’ events.

A political row erupted after a comedian allegedly mocked Prime Minister Narendra Modi while sharing the stage with LoP Gandhi during the Indore event.

Speaking to reporters, Union Minister of Sate Arjun Ram Meghwal accused the Congress leader of lying and insulting Indian culture.

“He misleads students and attempts to spread anarchy,” the Law Minister alleged.

Urging Gandhi to speak with responsibility, he added: “By insulting Indian culture and criticising Narendra Modi ji, he ends up criticising India and insulting Indian civilisation and culture.”

Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis took a dig at the LoP, saying: “Rahul Gandhi was doing mimicry. I believe he should leave the party and become a stand-up comedian because he has rendered his party unemployed. At least he would have a job as a stand-up comedian.”

Talking to media, BJP leader Prakash Javadekar accused Congress of crossing all limits of decency.

“Rahul Gandhi spends his time in every meeting abusing PM Modi, but he doesn’t realise that the more he abuses him, the more PM Modi’s votes will increase, and people’s sympathy for him also increases…The Congress is behaving shamelessly, and there is no one to tell them this,” he said.

BJP MP Nishikant Dubey told media: “There is a ‘Jhooth Ki Goonj’ across the country. One can understand the situation. No one is willing to come to listen to Rahul Gandhi. He has lost more than a hundred elections.”

BJP leader Virendra Sachdeva echoed similar views, saying: “Rahul Gandhi organises events and programmes. He does not understand political issues or the pulse of society. He functions like an event company, organises a programme and leaves.”

“While Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s message is for the country, for every section of the society, and the youth are not left out of it,” he asserted.

BJP leader T.R. Sriniwas also took a jibe at the Leader of Opposition, saying Gandhi will end up shutting down comedy shows, “with the kind of act he put on yesterday”.

“The way they called a stand-up comedian onto the stage yesterday and had him do comedy with Rahul ji, he wasn’t a student at all. The way it appeared to me—and to anyone watching who has even a little bit of sense—it was just a comedy show,” he remarked while speaking to media.

However, Congress MP Pramod Tiwari backed Rahul Gandhi.

“The surging sea of students during the event and the visible enthusiasm reflected that the lamp of the BJP is dimming. All I can say is congratulations on the success of the Chhatra Ki Goonj event,” he told media.